Why is early treatment so important?

Of the disease-modifying medications that are now approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of MS, nine are considered first-line options. Of these, five are delivered by injection: Avonex® (interferon beta-1a), Betaseron® (interferon beta-1b), Copaxone® (glatiramer acetate), Extavia® (interferon beta-1b) and Rebif® (interferon beta-1a). Three medications are taken by mouth: Aubagio® (teriflunomide), Gilenya® (fingolimod) and Tecfidera® (dimethyl fumarate). One medication — Tysabri® (natalizumab) — is given by infusion and is generally reserved for people who have very active disease or have not responded to treatment with another medicdation.

MS experts recommend that anyone who has been diagnosed with a relapsing form of MS should consider beginning treatment with one of these medications as soon as possible. Some people who have been diagnosed with a clinically-isolated syndrome (CIS — a first episode of neurologic damage) may benefit from these medications as well.

The possible benefits of these medications include:

Starting treatment early in the disease is particularly important because: